Memorable Manitobans: Wallace Michael “Wally” Darichuk (1938-2017)

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Wallace Michael Darichuk
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Judge.

Born in the RM of St. Clements on 29 May 1938, son of Michael Darichuk and Lena Huculak, he was educated at Kitchener School, Gonor School, and Selkirk Collegiate Institute. He received a law degree from the University of Manitoba in 1959, articled in law with Frank Wright Newman, and was called to the Manitoba Bar in September 1960.

Three years later, he was appointed a provincial court judge, at the time the youngest provincial judge in Canada. He got a private pilot’s license and radio operator’s license so he could fly his own aircraft on the rural court circuit. He was made a Queen's Counsel in 1972 and, in 1977, he became a county court judge. He served in this position until 1984 when he became a puisne judge on the Court of Queen’s Bench. He also served as a Deputy Judge of the Supreme Court of the North West Territories and the Supreme Court of Yukon Territory. He became a supernumerary judge in 2005 and took mandatory retirement in 2013.

He was a director of the Society for Manitobans with Disabilities, a member of the Board of Directors for CancerCare Manitoba, a director of Saint Paul’s Nursing Home in Dauphin and Holy Family Nursing Home in Winnipeg, two terms as President of the Provincial Judges’ Association of Manitoba, and a member of the Association of Superior Court Judges of Canada. In recognition of his community service, he received a Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002) and Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012).

He died at Winnipeg on 29 January 2017.

Sources:

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 2 February 2017.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 21 October 2023

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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